de Broglie wave


noun Physics.

a hypothetical wave associated with the motion of a particle of atomic or subatomic size that describes effects such as the diffraction of beams of particles by crystals.
Also called matter wave.

Origin of de Broglie wave

First recorded in 1925–30; named after L.V. de Broglie

British Dictionary definitions for de broglie waves

de Broglie waves
/ (də ˈbrəʊɡlɪ) /

pl n

physics the set of waves that represent the behaviour of an elementary particle, or some atoms and molecules, under certain conditions. The de Broglie wavelength, λ, is given by λ = h/mv, where h is the Planck constant, m the mass, and v the velocity of the particle Also called: matter waves

Word Origin for de Broglie waves

C20: named after Prince Louis Victor de Broglie (1892–1987), French physicist